Episode 6

The wolf pup tilted its head, puzzled, as it watched Trevor bounce in excitement.

With a nudge from Totuga’s dark nose, the pup toddled toward us.

Totuga let out a long howl, as though cheering the pup on, before disappearing into the forest.

As his howl faded, the mist dissipated, and we found ourselves back in the woods.

“Your Grace!”

Amy, who had been frantically searching for us, ran over the moment she spotted me.

“Are you… are you alright? You disappeared so suddenly, and I…”

Tears brimmed in Amy’s large brown eyes, her words stumbling in distress.

“We’re fine, Amy. You must have been so worried,” I said, gently placing a hand on her shoulder.

“I was,” she admitted, dabbing at her tears with her sleeve as she let out a shaky sigh of relief.

While I comforted Amy, Aiden went to organize the knights, who were still scattered and panicked from our sudden disappearance.

Once Amy regained her composure, she noticed Trevor and the white wolf pup. Her expression immediately turned to concern.

“Is the young master alright? And… what is that puppy?”

“It’s Trevor’s friend!” Trevor chirped enthusiastically.

“His friend?”

“Yes! A wolf friend! Mother, right? It’s Trevor’s friend, right?”

Trevor’s innocent, excited face was endearing, but I forced myself to maintain a stern expression.

When he noticed my lingering anger, Trevor’s own brows drooped as he glanced up at me, his guilt and hesitation clear.

Despite wanting desperately to dash over to the wolf pup, he stayed rooted in place, clearly trying his best to exercise his four-year-old patience.

I softened my expression and crouched to meet his gaze.

“Before you say hello to your friend, how about we talk first?”

Trevor’s wide eyes darted between me and the wolf pup before he pressed his lips together and lowered his head.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured.

“And what are you sorry for, Trevor?”

“For liking wolves…?”

His uncertain response betrayed his genuine confusion.

He knew I was upset, but not why. I found myself at a loss. How could I explain this to a four-year-old who saw the world through a lens of pure wonder?

Though I’d faced trials as an imperial regent, been kidnapped, and negotiated with spirits, parenting was proving to be the greatest challenge of all.

I decided to keep it simple and focused on what mattered most.

“Liking wolves isn’t wrong. But touching someone or something without asking first is a big mistake.”

“Touching without asking is wrong,” Trevor repeated solemnly.

“Exactly. What you did earlier was very dangerous. What if the wolf had bitten you? Trevor would’ve been hurt, and Mommy and Daddy would’ve been very sad.”

“I don’t want Mommy to be sad,” he said, his lip trembling.

“That’s why, when Mommy tells you to come back, you need to listen, okay?”

“I’m sorry,” Trevor said again, this time with genuine remorse.

Had he truly understood? Could he grasp the concept of danger yet?

I sighed, my resolve faltering as I looked at his small, hunched frame. Reaching out, I gently patted his bottom and pulled him into a hug.

“Alright, now shall we say hello to your wolf friend?”

Trevor’s face lit up instantly, his voice trembling with excitement.

“Can I pet the wolf pup?”

“Why don’t you ask it first?”

Trevor turned to the pup, crouching low as he waddled over carefully. Stretching out his hand, he asked in a small voice, “Wolf pup, can I pet you?”

Though Totuga had shown friendliness, I couldn’t help but worry how this young pup might react.

I held my breath as the wolf pup sniffed Trevor’s outstretched hand. Then, with a soft nuzzle, it rubbed its tiny head against his palm.

Even from behind, I could tell how deeply moved Trevor was by this moment.

I could see it already—the start of a lifelong bond, not just between a boy and a wolf but a friendship that might endure for generations.

This wasn’t the kind of forced allegiance the Luminal imperial family had endured for centuries. This was a genuine friendship, built on mutual trust and care.

Witnessing such a precious connection form left my own heart full.

“They’ve already become fast friends, I see,” Aiden said with a smile as he approached, having finished regrouping the knights.

Watching Trevor roll on the ground with the wolf pup, I couldn’t help but laugh, the tension melting away.

* * *

The wolf pup sent by Totuga to guard the forest was named Siet—a name Trevor decided after much deliberation, taking one character each from his mother, father, and his own name.

Adored by the young Grand Duke, Siet quickly won the hearts of everyone in the grand duchy.

Sione occasionally found herself speechless watching her son and his wolf companion gallop on all fours through the grand castle, but the healthy young heir and his loyal wolf became the pride of Tilender.

The outing where they met Totuga and Siet was followed by a calculated show of strength from the Tilender knights, as expected, drawing the attention of Count Munsen.

Or more accurately, it disrupted the plans of both Emperor Neudyk and Count Munsen.

As winter settled in and snowflakes began to fall, a delegation from Count Munsen arrived at Tilender Grand Duchy.

The duchy’s ruler, Sione, listened patiently to their outlandish demands before smiling sweetly and asking:

“So, you’re saying this has nothing to do with the Emperor of Neudyk and is entirely Count Munsen’s personal opinion?”

David, the Count’s nephew and leader of the delegation, faltered at Sione’s informal tone.

This was a matter of significant gravity—one that could spark war—yet Sione spoke as though she were casually discussing dinner plans with a maid.

Did the duchess not grasp the weight of the situation?

Or was she testing him?

Hiding his confusion, David lowered his head respectfully.

“That is correct, Your Grace.”

“Then if Tilender and Munsen were to engage in a territorial dispute, Neudyk would not intervene? Even if Munsen’s lands were annexed into Tilender?”

“You mean to say you’re willing to go to war with Munsen?” David asked, his voice rising slightly.

“Aren’t we already at that point? Asking for land that doesn’t belong to you is a declaration of war, isn’t it?”

“That forest has always been unclaimed territory, neither Belpator’s nor Neudyk’s. That’s why Count Munsen suggested dividing it evenly, as a compromise!”

David’s raised voice wiped the smile from Sione’s face.

At the same time, Aiden, who had been silently observing the delegation with a neutral expression, fixed a piercing gaze on David.

His crimson eyes burned with a feral intensity, like a beast poised to strike, and for a moment, David felt as though Aiden might leap across the table to rip out his throat.

The infamous “Mad Dog of Tilender” had a reputation that extended even beyond Belpator’s borders, and David instinctively shrank back.

Seeking refuge, his gaze darted to Sione, but her composed demeanor was equally unnerving.

When the petite woman first appeared as the duchy’s ruler, David had assumed negotiations would go smoothly.

He had expected her to tremble at the mere mention of war and quickly sign any treaty he presented.

He couldn’t have been more wrong.

Sione lifted her chin slightly, her emerald eyes devoid of warmth as she looked down at him.

“Perhaps I wasn’t clear, Sir David. That forest is my land, my daughter’s land, and my friend’s land. And Tilender does not forgive those who covet what is ours.”

“Are you truly willing to go to war? Over that forest?” David stammered.

“Deliver this message to your count clearly: if Tilender draws its sword, its blade will not stop at the forest’s edge.”

David opened and closed his mouth, unable to muster a response. Any further words felt like they would cost him his life, especially under Aiden’s unrelenting glare.

War? Over a barren forest inhabited by wolves?

The saying like ruler, like subject came to mind. The Grand Duchess was just as mad as the Grand Duke.

After the Munsen delegation fled back across the border with their tails between their legs, Tilender began preparing for war under the unwavering resolve of the grand ducal couple.

Amid the preparations, an unexpected guest arrived from Brincia.

Seeing an old friend, Sione greeted him with a bright smile.

“Vitrain! What brings you all the way to the grand duchy?”

“Your Grace, it’s been a while. I’m here under Her Majesty’s orders,” Vitrain replied, bowing politely.

While Tilender enjoyed autonomy within Belpator, Rottania had never once interfered with Sione’s land. The presence of the imperial army’s commander, dispatched by the emperor, made Sione tilt her head in curiosity.

“Rottania’s orders?”

“Her Majesty said, ‘If anyone sets foot on Mother’s land, wipe them out. I’ll take care of the aftermath.’”

Delivering the emperor’s resolute command, Vitrain, usually stoic, chuckled brightly.